Who says fish can't fly? Watch the Video
I started this post with the intent to talk about the Southern Oregon Coast and to spotlight all the places you can visit if you are interested in whale watching. I do cover that later in the post, including a map provided by Whale Spoken Here a site dedicated to whale watching on the coast. I also will follow this story with a part II since there is so much amazing information and resources about the whales available. What a great way to get your kids interested and involved in saving our planet so we will have a legacy to share!
Before I go on that I would like to share this video:
After watching how alive and intelligent these creatures are, I realized how much I take for granted. I think that it's great to take a vacation and get" in touch" with nature. And I certainly can't deny that one of the reasons that I write this blog is in the hopes that people will want to come and experience Hilltop House and all that the Southern Oregon Coast has to offer. But I can't help thinking, what happens if someday soon, when you come it isn't there anymore? I do believe that when brought into their awareness most people really care about what is happening to the planet and the creatures that share it with us.
So I hope that you won't mind that before providing information about what you can come to see on the Oregon coast; particularly the whales watching opportunities that are available, that I bring some information to your attention. Here is some information I got from the site Whale Spoken Here
Save the Whales - AGAIN!
Apparently the whales are in danger of extinction again due to human greed and the obsessive need to consume and then irresponsibly dispose of things. Here is part of the article I read:
"The Gray Whale was hunted almost to extinction twice: in the 1880s and again in the 1920s. The International Whaling Commission was formed in 1946 by whaling nations, including the United States, to divide the annual catch into national quotas. A massive public outcry (Save the Whales) in the 70s culminated in 1986 when the International Whaling Commission adopted a 10-year moratorium on commercial whaling. All of the endangered whales are internationally protected from commercial harvest, but Japan is leading the demand for a return to commercial whaling and is currently hunting endangered whales even in the International Whale Preserve in Antarctica.
But all whales today face a wide variety of threats, far more than were present in whaling days. They all face severe pollution and degradation of their habitats and destruction of their food sources. Larger, faster, and more plentiful ships cross their migratory routes injuring whales. Each year many whales die as a result of entanglement in fishing gear. Twenty-one countries including England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa oppose Japan’s hunting in the International Whale Preserve."
What We Can All Do To Help
- Keep garbage, especially plastics, out of the
ocean.
- Pick up litter and put in receptacles
- Don’t put paint and hazardous waste down drains
- Use non-toxic household cleaners.
- Use lawn and garden chemicals sparingly.
- Recycle used motor oil and old tires.
- Be thoughtful: Reduce - Reuse - Recycle.
- Volunteer, Support or Get Involved!
- Call or write the president or your congressional representative.
For more information on how you can help, please visit these sites: International Whaling Commission National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The Humane Society
A World Worth Saving
As promised here is some information on where to go to see these beautiful creatures.
Stay tuned for part 2 ...coming soon.
